1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modular rail and post fence system that may be constructed and assembled without any fasteners, adhesives or soldering. In particular, the present invention is directed to both a decorative and structural modular rail and post fence system wherein a small number of post components may be chosen to form a wide variety of post configurations. The modular rail and post fence system may be roll formed from conventional flat metal pieces, may be shipped in component parts for storage and may be distributed and shipped to locations in the field for assembly.
2. Prior Art
Various types of rail fencing systems have been proposed in the past. In a typical system, a plurality of posts and a plurality of rails are manufactured and then shipped to distribution or sales points. The individual components are then shipped to the installation location where the posts are installed and the rails are attached to the posts by fasteners. Decreasing the costs associated with shipping and storage is desirable.
In an effort to provide modular fence systems and to ease installation, various types of connection mechanisms have been proposed in the past.
Arnd (U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,602) discloses a pair of tubular shaped pieces 1 and 2 having a square cross section which are joined together. Connecting member 3 with a flexible projection 4 joins the tubular pieces together.
Murdock (U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,938) discloses a fence system with tubular rails 36. Connectors 41 extending from fence post 12 are received in the open ends of rails 36.
Jenkins (U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,067) discloses a display case with rail horizontal member 24 which is pinned to post frame member 14 by a hook member 60 received in open end 62 of rail 24.
Bisch (U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,564) in FIGS. 17 through 19, discloses a metal fence with a rail 204 which is held to a frame by elastic, spring-like pin 210.
Wittig et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,296) discloses a variety of panel fasteners. FIG. 11 discloses a fastener 500 with legs 513a and b to lock an adjoining panel. Ends 530a and b include caroming surfaces 580a and b and locking surfaces 582a and b.
Walmsley (U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,887) in FIG. 6, discloses a rail 66 with side edges turned inward.
A number of proposals in the past have suggested eliminating conventional fasteners to secure rails to posts, for example, Schall et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,166). Banks (U.S. Pat. No. 236,755) discloses a metal tubular fence system wherein the rails are assembled without fasteners although the fence posts must be soldered together. There, nevertheless, remains a need to produce a rail and post fence system that eliminates the need for any fasteners, either in manufacturing or assembling.
There have also been known snap lock joint connections for metal panels, such as button punch or Pittsburgh lock connections.
It would also be desirable to be able to store and to ship the rails and posts and components thereof in nested fashion to reduce shipping space and shipping costs.
Accordingly, it is a principal object and purpose of the present invention to provide a modular rail and post fence system which may be constructed, assembled, and installed without use of any fasteners, any adhesives or any soldering.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a modular rail and post fence system wherein the individual components may be roll formed from flat sheets of metal.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide posts formed of a pair of panels or components so that a small number of post panels or components may be selectively chosen to form a wide variety of post configurations.
It is a further object and purpose to provide a modular rail and post fence system with hollow post and rails that may be filled with initially liquid material that cures to a solid to form a structural fence system.
It is a further object and purpose to provide a decorative modular rail and post fence system that may be simply converted to a structural fence system.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a modular rail and post fence system wherein the individual components may be nested together for savings on shipping, transportation and storage.
It is a further object and purpose to provide a modular rail and post fence system with adaptors between rail and post components to accommodate uneven ground conditions.